Heartbeat UK Registered Charity Number 1124786 Year Ended 31 July 2024
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Heartbeat UK
Charity Name and Number
Heartbeat UK: registered charity number 1124786
Correspondence Address
19 Pembury Avenue, Coventry, CV6 6JT
Trustees
Mrs Glenys Bloor Miss Marie Pepper Mr Karl Marshall Mr Robert Calvert Ms Claire Hennerley
Professional Advisors
Legal Advisors:
Robinsons Solicitors, 10-11 St James Court, Friar Gate, Derby, DE1 1BT
Bankers: TSB, Jubilee Coventry.
Independent Examiner:
Rachel Robins, R&S Accounts Ltd, 9 Emberton Way, Amington Fields, Tamworth, Staffs, B77 3QQ
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Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31st July 2024.
History, objectives and activities of the charity
The charity was formed on 2 July 2008. The charity aims to raise the funds to provide a minimum of one defibrillator per month to the general public. Heartbeat UK works alongside the ambulance service who help to identify places of need. This includes hotspots where Heartbeat UK helps to provide training in the use of the defibrillators. The defibrillators are then placed in what is known as the PAD system (Public Access Defibrillators). The ambulance service registers the location of these defibrillators so that when the need arises, anyone can be directed via a 999 call to the nearest accessible defibrillator site. The defibrillators that Heartbeat UK supplies are fully automated and audibly inform the user how to operate the defibrillator. The defibrillator will then take control of defibrillation by analyzing the patient.
The charity aims to promote and protect the physical and mental health of sufferers of cardiac diseases and cardiac related illnesses in the United Kingdom through the provision of guidance, support, education and practical advice.
The charity aims to relieve sickness and to preserve the health of patients suffering from cardiac diseases and cardiac related illnesses by providing or assisting in the provision of facilities, equipment and services.
The charity aims to advance the education of the general public in all areas relating to cardiac diseases and cardiac related illnesses.
The charity operates throughout England and Wales but currently the majority of its activity has centred around the Midlands area.
Management and governance arrangements
The charity currently has five trustees but the constitution allows for flexibility in potentially increasing or decreasing this number depending on the activity of the charity. Were there a requirement for new trustees, these would be identified and appointed by the remaining trustees.
The chair of trustees is responsible for the induction of any new trustee which involves awareness of a trustee’s responsibilities, the constitution, administrative procedures, the history and philosophical approach of the charity. A new trustee would receive copies of the previous year’s annual report and accounts and a copy of the Charity Commission leaflet ‘The Essential Trustee: What You Need to Know’.
The trustees annually review the risks that the charity faces. To date these have mainly related to ensuring that all volunteers act within the charity’s framework.
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Procedures and policy for the provision of new defibrillators and associated training
The trustees normally meet quarterly to consider any applications they have received for the provision of defibrillators and to review any usage of existing defibrillators. Nominations for defibrillators are elicited mainly by formal means. The charity is currently advised by the First Responder as to where the hot spots are and by the West Midlands Ambulance Service. In addition, a personal approach has also been taken with some of the major supermarkets in providing defibrillators that trained First Responders use.
The trustees usually ask invited organisations to submit a formal application saying how the equipment would be used and who is trained to use it. Assessments are made of the number of people in the general population passing through such a venue and the likelihood that the equipment would be needed.
The charity had one part time paid worker during this year who worked as a fundraising manager on a self-employed basis.
Achievements and performance of the charity
During the twelve months to 31 July 2024 Heartbeat UK has again had a good steady amount of income (small fall from previous year) and spending on defibrillators (AED’s) and related equipment has also fallen but there are some funds in the bank ready to be spent on lifesaving cardiac equipment and the trustees are well geared up for another year.
Of the charity’s expenditure during this year, 58% of total expenditure was directly spent on purchasing cardiac equipment that was made available to the general public visiting certain venues (down from 69.8% in the previous year). The remaining expenditure included the daily running costs of the charity including travel costs relating to placing of defibrillators and sending volunteers to public events in support of the charity, domain cost, insurance, accounts fees and paying a part-time self-employed fund-raising manager. This year, the bank balance has fallen due to the timing of buying cardiac equipment and maximise funds spent on this.
The trustees note that the charity has funded £24,795 in this sixteenth year for defibrillators and related equipment. This figure is down on the previous year but the charity still has a good stream of community groups that it works with. There have been various community projects that have done their own fundraising and then transferred the money to Heartbeat who have been able to supply that community project with a defibrillator. The charity also accepted that following the Covid pandemic, there was a big move away from cash and therefore started receiving even more income by card in the year to 31 July 2024. This has helped to expand the overall income of the charity compared with pre-pandemic years when there was a lot more cash income. Card income over cash income is expected to become more and more dominant in the future.
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As in previous years, most of the charity’s volunteers are over retirement age but the charity has still successfully fundraised and the charity has delivered lifesaving support for the community. Once again, this year, there has been a move towards putting the cabinets and defibrillators, where identified as urgently needed based on ambulance response times and particularly looking at locations where ambulances have difficulty in getting to a location within a timeframe. By placing these defibrillators in communities like this, it gives local people a far higher chance of being resuscitated if it is ever required.
The trustees report this to have been a busy but rewarding year. The charity still receives updates that their defibrillators have been used and have saved lives which is most encouraging. This year the charity has also aimed to create an increase in awareness of it’s work and has been active in many community projects. It has supported First Responders, enabling them to kit out a First Response vehicle with defibrillators. Heartbeat UK has also placed 21 defibrillators at urgent need locations, as well as 20 new cabinets, also replaced defibrillator pads and replaced 12 batteries and supplied two Ready Kits and 14 Bleed Kits.
The charity is pleased with its achievements in the last year and the intention is to continue the work along similar lines working alongside over 30 other charities to further its aims.
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Financial review and reserves
The trustees have set a policy that all donations received should be spent on cardiac equipment or cardiac support and administration costs and normally has relatively low reserves other than enough to cover daily running costs of the charity. The trustees have reduced the previous year’s surplus of £5,718 in the July 2023 accounts to a smaller surplus of £2,706 in the July 2024 year end by spending money that has supported the aims of the charity.
Future plans
The trustees are committed to continue providing defibrillators, training and support in the coming year.
The charity continues to seek to gain further recognition within the communities that they operate in.
Statement of trustees' responsibilities
Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which show a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and its financial activities for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operational existence.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Independent Examiner
The trustees intend to ask the existing accountants to undertake the independent examination of the charity in the following year.
Signed on behalf of the trustees
Lord Robert Calvert.
16[th] September 2024.
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Independent examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Heartbeat UK.
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2024, which are set out on pages 8 to 12.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts (under section 145 of the Act);
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to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity
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Commission (under section145(5)(b) of the Act); and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of the independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirement:
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to keep proper accounting in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Rachel Robins BSc (hons) MAAT R&S Accounts Ltd 9 Emberton Way Amington Fields Tamworth Staffs B77 3QQ
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Heartbeat UK Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 July 2024
| Notes Incoming resources Incoming resources from generated funds Voluntary income: donations 5 Total incoming resources Resources expended Charitable activities Purchase of cardiac equipment Sub Total Costs of generating funds Travel and subsistence Self-employed fundraiser 3 Telephone, internet, office running costs Insurance Accountancy fees Bank charges Depreciation of …office equipment Total administration costs Total resources expended Net movement in funds Surplus / (Deficit) from previous year Surplus to carry forward |
Unrestricted Total Funds fund 2024 2024 £'s £'s 39,768 39,768 39,768 39,768 24,795 24,795 24,795 24,795 6,901 6,901 9,526 9,526 494 494 466 466 300 300 190 190 108 108 17,985 17,985 42,780 42,780 (3,012) (3,012) 5,718 5,718 2,706 2,706 |
Total Funds 2023 £'s 43,566 |
|---|---|---|
| 43,566 | ||
| 30,430 | ||
| 30,430 6,391 7,279 493 553 300 276 144 15,436 |
||
| 45,866 | ||
| (2,300) 8,018 |
||
| 5,718 |
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| Heartbeat UK balance sheet as at 31 July 2023 2024 Notes £'s £'s Fixed assets Tangible assets 6 325 Current assets Cash at bank 2,886 Debtors - Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 7 505 Net current assets 2,381 Net liabilities 2,706 Represented by Unrestricted funds 2,706 Total funds 2,706 |
2023 £'s 433 5,790 - 505 5,285 |
|---|---|
| 5,718 | |
| 5,718 | |
| 5,718 |
The financial statements on pages 8 to 12 were approved by the trustees on 16[th] September 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
Lord Robert Calvert Date: 16[th] September 2024
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Notes to the accounts
1. Accounting policies
In preparing the accounts the following accounting policies have been complied with:
a) The accounts have been prepared on the historic cost convention. The accounts are in accordance with applicable accounting standards and the Charities SORP 2005 (Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities).
b) Expenditure is included in the accounts on an accruals basis. VAT is irrecoverable and so is charged to the SOFA as accrued.
c) All assets costing more than £100 are capitalised. Depreciation on office equipment is charged on a reducing balance basis of 25% per year.
2. Taxation
This is a registered charity and accordingly is exempt from taxation on its income.
3. Analysis of worker
| 3. Analysis of worker | ||
|---|---|---|
| costs | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Wages | 9,526 | 7,279 |
The average number of full time equivalent employees for the year was less than one. He worked as a professional freelance fundraiser and co-ordinator for the charity.
4. Related party transactions
None of the trustees were paid any remuneration by the charity during the year. Some expenses are reimbursed to trustees: these include telephone calls on personal phones for charity business, postage and mileage done in their private car to collect volunteers and visit sites on charity business and subsistence.
5. Voluntary donations
| 5. Voluntary donations | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Voluntary donations | 39,768 | 43,566 |
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6. Tangible fixed assets
| Cost At 1 August 2023 Addition At 31 July 2024 Depreciation At 1 August 2023 Charge for Year At 31 July 2024 Net Book Value At 31 July 2024 At 31 July 2023 |
Office Equipment £ 5,735 - |
|---|---|
| 5,735 | |
| 5,302 108 |
|
| 5,410 | |
| 325 | |
| 433 |
7. Analysis of creditors
| Owed to trustees Accounts fees |
2024 2023 £ £ 205 205 300 300 505 505 |
|---|---|
8. Prior year comparison
Charity donations have fallen from £43,566 in the previous year to £39,768 in this sixteenth year.
The paid work by the fundraising manager has been fairly stable this year and in in line with the funds raised.
The charity has reduced the surplus of £5,718 to a smaller surplus of £2,706 in the year to 31[st] July 2024. This is mainly because the charity has been spending money to further increase the overall aims of the charity.
Total expenditure has fallen from £45,866 in the 31 July 2023 year end to £42,781 in this 31 July 2024 year end. This is mainly because the charity has spent a bit less on cardiac equipment. Although wage costs and travel and subsistence costs are slightly higher in the latest year, a lot of the other costs have remained fairly stable..
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There has been a wealth of experience built up over the years by the trustees in this field and the charity has been ticking over well and even though income has fallen from the previous year, it is still higher than pre-pandemic years.
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